Electrolytic cell.



PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

A. 0. TATE.

ELEGTROLYTIG CELL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. `2a, 1904. RIINBWED Nov.z3

.35u Hom/unl w W '-To all whom it may concern.-

ALFRED o. TATE, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' ELECTROLYITIC CELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed September 28, 1904. Renewed November 23, 1908. Serial No. 344,787.

Be it known that I, ALFRED 0. TATE, a subject of the Kingnf Great Britain, residing at New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have made a new and useful Invention in Electrolytic Cells, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention is irected particularly to an improved electrolytic cell designed to decompose the greatest amount of an electrolytic solution with as little ex enditure of energy as possible, and it has for lts objects, first, the construction of an electrode for such a cell in the most compact form possible with the arrangement of the anodes and cathodes and conducting arts such that a minimum amount of e ectromotive force may be utilized giving at the same time a maximum -amount of current flow through the solution to be acted upon. Second, the arrangement of the anodesl and cathodes in such manner ,that the current flow throu h them'and the solution to be acted upon s all be only between the outer or exposed edges or faces of relatively good conducting laminated stri s, plates, or bars, held in close mechanical re ation to each other, but sufficiently well insulated between their adjoining faces to prevent the direct passage of the current from one positive stri to its com anion negative strip, the latera or expose edges vor faces constituting a plane surface to which the electrolytic solution to be 'acted upon is subjected.'

Prior to mv invention electrodes of an electrolytic cell had been connected in multiple relation in such manner that the current How from the generator through the anodes was directly through the intervening liquidto the cathodesfthe action of the current upon the solution bein in all instances directly through a well define volume of liquid, such that the internal resistance of the cell was necessarily so greatas to require electrical generators of relatively hi h voltage, thereby necessitating enerators off enormous watt capacity where 1t was required to electrically treat relatively larve volumes of water.

bound together with thin inter eaved strips of insulating material such as to effectually lnsulate thelr parallel faces leaving the exterior edges or faces exposed to the solution in aralle planes, electrical generators of very ow voltage and large current generating capacity may be utilized and electrolytic action upon solutions in relatively large volumes effected much more economically than is possible with existing types of electrolyticv appaline and as seen looking thereat from the top toward the bottom of the drawing, the binding bolt being shown in lan view. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating t 1e manner of assembling the parts of the electrode.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in all of which like numerals represent like parts Wherever used, 1 1, 2, 2, represent two sets of thin or laminated plates of good conducting material, preferably aluminium, said plates being identically alike in size and structure and interleaved, as shown.

3, 3, 3, represent metallic washers preferably of copper for spacing both sets of plates, and 4, 4, represent good conducting rods, preferably also of copper, and adapted to fit accurately through openings in the pairs of plates 1, 1, 2, 2, with the washers 3, 3, strung thereon between said plates. f

5, 5, represent thin strips of good insulating material, such, for instance, as insulating fiber boiled in paraffin and locatedbetween the respective pairs of plates 1, 1, 2, 2, the width of said strips being the same as that of the plates.

8, 8, represent end-plates of relatively thick insulating material and of the same width as the plates 1, 1, 2, 2, and 6, 6, are binding plates of metal, such as iron, provided with holes adapted to receive insulating washers 9, 9, 9, through which binding bo ts 4, 4, are passed.

`7, A7, are nuts, also of copper, and 10, l0

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are the ends of conductors leading respectively to the positive and negative poles of the source of electrical energy, not shown.

The parts are assembled as follows, having reference -iarticularly to Fig. ---All of the. positive pilates, that is to say the plates connected to the positive pole of the generator, are threaded upon the upper bolt 4 with the washers 3 between them, said plates being disposed as condenser plates are, as clearly lshown in Fig. 1.

material 5 are located in position between the respective pairs of plates and the insulating end-plates 8, 8, and binding plates 6, 6, are then secured in position with the insulatin r washers 9 surrounding the ends of the brilts, after which the nuts 7, 7, are firmly secured, binding also the inleading conductors l0, the arrangement beine such that when the parts are thus united t 1e electrode plates 1, l, 2, 2, together with their inter-v mediate insulating strips, are bound into one firm compact electrode with the outer edges or faces of said plates exposed on both sides and located in parallel planes, so that the action of the current as it flows from the-lpole of the generator through the eell and the liquid will be through the least ossible volume thereof in each instance. n other words, by thus firmly binding the conducting plates together with intervening sheets or strips of insulating material and connecting the opposite ends of the plates in 1nultiplc with the -land i poles of a relatively low voltage generator I am enabled to produce upon the lateral edges er faces of the. electrode an electrolytic field, so to speak, in which the resistance from the current flow is a minimum, so that as the electrolytic solution is exposed to this field there is upon both faces of the electrode continuous action. on the part of the current thus generated at relatively low voltage in all parts of the solution thus exposed. By successively subjecting the solution to this electrolytic field in any preferred manner I am enabled to obtain the best possible electrolytic action with a minimum electromotive force. I prefer to use for the electrode plates 1, 2, thin sheets or strips of aluminium, although other metals may be used, or other good electrical conductors, such as carbon.

In thel electrolytic treatment of large volumes of water for industrial uses, as in connection with steam boilers and the like, I prefer to`use carbon electrodes constructed 1n accordance with the structural arrangement disclosed in the accom )anying drawings. For the electrolytical treatment of water for house-hold uses, such as drinking purposes and the like I prefer to use aluminium electrodes.

T he essence of my invention lies in this closely related disposition of the electrode plates in such manner as to obtain the best 'l`he strips of insulating' possible electrolytic action with a minimum electromotive force, it being well understood by those skilled in the, art that electrolytic action u )on a solution is always directly proportiona to the quantity of current caused to flow through thel solution, and my invention differs essentially from anything heretofore devised, in so far asll am aware, in that instead of causing the current Vto pass directly through relatively large volumes of Water between the faces of the electrodes connected in multiple at their upper ends only, I eil'ect the same result in a very much improved manner by causing the current to flow through closely related sets of relatively large current conducting electrodes and deliver the sameto the electrolyte at their lateral edges or faces, the current cntering the anodes at one end of the electrode and leaving the cathodes at the other end thereof, thus causing it to act upon the relatively small intermediate. volumes of the solution exposed to such edges or faces and over relatively large areas when the anodes and cathodes are arranged and connected up as shown.

Where the electrodes are made of carbon I. have obtained most excellent results with a special form, known in the art as Acheson graphitized carbon, manufactured at Niagara Falls, N. Y., and this for the reason that 'With this form of carbon there is no disintegration of the anode when the cell is in use, a feature which is of material importance, and for this reason especially l prefer to use the type of carbon plates herein referred to.

I do not limit my invention te the specific construction disclosed in the accom )anying drwings and hereinbefore describe( ,as the o )erative elements thereof' might he materially departed from, both as to structural arrangement and as to the materials which constitute the effective parts of the electrodes, the essential novelty, as before pointed out, being found generically in an electrode which is made up of sets of closely allied ositive and negative plates of relatively arge conducting ca )acity so located or related as to deliverV the current to an electrolytic solution through the lateral edges or faces of the same in contradistinction to the delivery thereof through the electrolyte which is located between the parallel faces thereof and in connecting the anode )lates in multiple at one end of the electro e and the cathode plates at the. other end thereof, as shown.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An electrode for an electrolytic cell einbracing positive and negative conductors of relatively goed conductivity located closely adjacent to each other and mechanically and ICO IIO

electrically separated by an insulating medium, the lateral edges or faces only of the conductors being exposed to the electrolytic solution so as to constitute an electrolytic field therein, substantially as described.

2. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing a series .of positive and aseries of negative plates of relatively good conductivity, said plates being interleaved and located in closerelation to each other; in combination with an insulating medium between each positive and negative plate, the lateral edges or faces only of' the plates constituting two electrolytic fields in the electrolytic solution, substantially as described.

3. An electrode for an electrolytic cell cmbracing a series of positive and a series of negative plates of relatively good conductivity, located in close mechanical and electrical relation to each other, the positive and negative elements being separated by an insulating medium, either or both of the lateral edges or faces onlyof both sets of plates being exposed, substantially as described.

4. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing a series of positive and a series of negative elements of relatively good conductivity, separated from each other by insulating material and provided with means for binding all of the parts of the electrode together so that only the lateral edges or faces of all of the elements are exposed to the electrolytic solution, substantially as described.

5. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing a series of positive and a series of negative elements of relatively good conductivity, each series being electrically connected to a conducting bolt or bar of goed conductivity and spaced from each other b (-.rmducting washers; in combination with insulating strips between the two series of elements; together with binding plates and nuts for the bolts whereby all of the parts are securely bound together 1n such manner that only the lateral edges'or faces of all of the elements are ex osed to the electrolytic solution, substantia ly as described.

(i. An electrode for an eleetrol tic cell embracing a series of positive am. a series of negative plates of relatively ,good conductivity, each series being provided with holes or o enings at one end and threaded upon a con( ucting bolt; in combination with spacing conducting washers and insulating strips between the pairs of plates; together with end-plates 'of insulating medium; binding plates of metal, and nuts for securing all of the parts of the electrode together, the arrangement beine' such that the lateral edges or aces only oia both sets of plates are ex-y posed to the electrolytic solution, substantially as described.

in multiple to the positive gether in such manner that the lateral edges 4 or faces only of' the anodes and cathodes are exposed to the electrolytic solution substantially as described.

8. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing two series of carbon conductors located in close mechanical and electrical rela-4 tion to each other but separated by insulating media, the lateral edges or faces only of the conductors being exposed, substantially as described. Y

9. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing two series of carbon conductors lo- 'cated in' close relation to each other and separated by` insulating media; in combination with means for binding all of said parts firmly together, the lateral edges or faces only of the conductors constituting the active surfaces of the electrodes, substantially as described.

10. An electrode for an electr-'ol tic cell embracing two series of carbon p ates which` will not disintegrate under the iniluence of an electric current in an electrolytic solution, one series being provided with means at their upper ends for connecting them to the positive pole of an electrical generator and the other series being provided with means for connecting them at their lower ends to Iooy the negative pole thereof, substantially as.

described.

11. An electrode for an electrolytic cell embracing two series of carbon plates separated from each other by relative f thin insulating material, one series being provided with means at one end for connecting them ole of an electrical generator and the ot er series being rovided with like means at the other end ihr similarly connecting them to the negative ole thereof, and all. of said liound together in such manner t at the lateral edges or faces only of the carbon plates are exposed to the electrolytic solution, substantially as described.

arts being IIO In testimony whereof I have signed my i 

